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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25641364">All Through the Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopeless_eccentric/pseuds/hopeless_eccentric'>hopeless_eccentric</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I'm Baby [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Penumbra Podcast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoption, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Future Fic, Humor, I hate to have an OC but she's a baby it's okay, Juno is surprisingly good with kids, Other, im really soft okay, juno's a good parent because i say so, nureyev can't see without his glasses, parenting, this is stupid soft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:00:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,497</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25641364</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopeless_eccentric/pseuds/hopeless_eccentric</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Looks like we’re doing this the hard way,” he sighed, and scooped his adopted daughter into his arms. She squirmed, threatening to send a flying, ravioli-sized fist into the bridge of his nose once more, but Juno knew better than to hold her anything less than arm's-length away when she was being cheeky. </p><p>She wailed as Juno picked her up, earning an affectionate eye roll in response. </p><p>“Don’t worry, kiddo,” he grimaced. “When you’re my age, you learn how to do that on the inside.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I'm Baby [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1996534</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>179</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>All Through the Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is soft. No content warnings for this one!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The thief was sitting on the ground now, hands tucked away behind her back and big, dark eyes fixed up on Juno. That gaze was as innocent as a cherub, but Juno had enough experience with this individual to notice the devilish flicker in her eye. She was hiding something behind her back, and whatever it was certainly wasn’t hers.  </p><p>“Look,” Juno started. He bit back a few more aggressive orders, reminding himself that de-escalating the situation would be the fastest way to a peaceful outcome. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I don’t think either of us want to be stuck out here any longer than we have to be. It’s three in the morning, and honestly, I’d rather be in bed right now.”</p><p>The thief didn’t respond. She merely cocked her head to the side like a dog trying to make sense of its owners’ conversation while her impish gaze challenged Juno to make the next move. </p><p>“Come on. Work with me, Diana,” he grumbled, and finally took a step closer. He knew damn well the perpetrator was capable of violence from the black eye he’d suffered at her hand. It wasn’t the worst injury he’d ever seen, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. </p><p>The thief stayed silent. Juno groaned. </p><p>“Looks like we’re doing this the hard way,” he sighed, and scooped his adopted daughter into his arms. She squirmed, threatening to send a flying, ravioli-sized fist into the bridge of his nose once more, but Juno knew better than to hold her anything less than arm's-length away when she was being cheeky. </p><p>She wailed as Juno picked her up, earning a solid eye roll in response. </p><p>“Don’t worry, kiddo,” he grimaced. “When you’re my age, you learn how to do that on the inside.” </p><p>Diana sniffled, though the tears died away when Juno brought her closer, her little crown of curls making his chest a pillow. He shushed her once or twice, never harshly. It just tended to take her a moment to get used to being picked up. </p><p>“Can’t believe I have to “good cop/bad cop” my own damn child,” he murmured, in the exact same tone as his hushed comforts of before. </p><p>“Guh,” Diana replied. </p><p>“Don’t tell your dad I said that,” Juno whispered, giving the clock a glance. </p><p>Either Nureyev hadn’t heard the tell-tale signs of their daughter escaping her crib and getting into something, or he was too exhausted to move. Even though it was supposed to be his turn to wake up and take care of the kid, Juno decided it was probably best to do him a favor and deal with this morning’s situation himself. He’d never seen Nureyev go so many days without eyeliner, and frankly, he was starting to get a little bit worried. </p><p>She continued to wiggle even as Juno took a seat on the couch. He hoped she might fall asleep and let go of whatever it was she was holding onto. It was three in the morning. He didn’t want to have to fight a baby’s grip strength. </p><p>Diana, however, had different ideas. One little empanada-shaped hand tried to grasp at his sweatshirt to try and climb away, but her brow furrowed when she noticed the hand was already full. </p><p>Nureyev’s glasses. </p><p>“Okay, do us both a favor and set those down for me, alright?” Juno started, voice shaking with nervous laughter as her brutish grasp grew tighter around those fragile lenses. “Not a toy, kiddo. Glasses aren’t toys.”</p><p>Thankfully, lenses and frames could only entertain a child accustomed to daring crib escapes and high-risk thefts for so long. Juno almost wondered if she and Nureyev shared at least a little bit of DNA. </p><p>She set the glasses back down on her mom’s lap with little fanfare, giggling at Juno’s immense sigh of relief. With nowhere else to put them, he fitted the glasses atop his head and made a mental note not to forget about them there. </p><p>“Thanks, kid,” he chuckled, unable to help a grin when her face bloomed into a smile. </p><p>And to think he’d been so scared of someone so small. </p><p>They’d discussed kids for almost two years before deciding to adopt, removed all the hidden knives and baby-proofed the new house for almost six months, and even after another six months with this adorable kleptomaniac, there was still a part of Juno that worried he was doing it all wrong. He’d read every book there was to read and researched in a manner he had only seen Nureyev do before particularly important heists. In the literal, scholarly sense, he was ready. Whether or not he would ever consider himself good at parenting was a question he doubted he would ever stop mulling over. </p><p>With Diana looking up at him with wide, dark eyes and a smile like Juno had built the world around her by hand, it was a lot harder to give into those thoughts that plagued him. </p><p>“Is there something on my face?” he laughed. She giggled when he did so, and he couldn’t help but return her smile, even though he was forced to shush her through the grin. “Gotta keep it down so your dad can sleep.” </p><p>Diana continued to fix him with that glowing stare. The kid was a wildfire when she wanted to be, feeling every emotion to the utmost degree. Her tiny, albeit adorable, rages, were like miniature storms, while her joy beamed from her like light from the sun. </p><p>Now, however, she seemed to be more a candle than a raging flame. She was a harmless, almost domesticated version of her more-awake self, warm and soft and flickering. </p><p>Juno had seen that look before. It was the same wide-eyed look she gave the brightly colored picture books she read with her dad. Nureyev always ran a finger along the bold type and did a hundred different voices for all the heroes and villains and monsters as she clapped her little hands together in delight. </p><p>Apparently, Juno had a habit of mirroring her expression. Occasionally, Nureyev would pause mid-line to catch his wife’s eye across the room and fix him with the softest smile Juno had ever seen. </p><p>“Whatcha looking at, kiddo?” Juno finally asked. It didn’t look like Diana was going to be falling asleep any time soon, and he would likely have just as much luck relaxing. Besides, if it gave Nureyev a few minutes longer to stretch out in bed, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. </p><p>To Juno’s surprise, she reached forward. He prepared to back up, the crucial move he had not made when she got fussy and planted one fist between his eyes. The mark had yet to fade. He was almost proud of her. </p><p>However, instead of deciding on a whim that she no longer wished to be held, Diana lay an uncharacteristically cautious hand atop Juno’s eyepatch. </p><p>“I know you lift all those flaps in the books with daddy, but I don’t think you’re gonna want to move that one,” he said, trying to keep his voice from going tight. </p><p>Juno didn’t take off his eyepatch unless he had to. While in the past, it came off before bed out of sheer habit, he’d recently found himself waking up a few extra times per night and didn’t want the trouble of taking it on and off repeatedly. </p><p>Deep down, he knew there was a part of him terrified she might cry at the sight of what lay underneath. Even Nureyev had winced upon his first look, though Juno suspected that may well have been sympathy. Peter had spent the next several minutes with his lips upon Juno’s browline, breaking only to whisper sweet nothings about how beautiful Juno was, eyepatch or not. </p><p>Diana’s curiosity seemed to outweigh the stock she put in her mom’s advice, however. Juno suspected that would just about summarize the remainder of his life as a parent. </p><p>Those tiny fingers curled around the edge of the eyepatch and Juno did all he could to stifle a wince. He continued to hold her against his chest, just in case she might be upset and need consoling, or perhaps, just to pretend that holding her close would somehow change the fact that he had scared her. </p><p>A decade ago, Juno wouldn’t have ever considered causing his own child pain to be in his top echelon of fears. However, blood and heights and even relationships had made way for the reality that he had found himself in a position of power and it absolutely terrified him that he might accidentally use it to hurt someone he cared about. </p><p>Diana couldn’t reach to pull the eyepatch up, so she tugged it over onto Juno’s nose instead. </p><p>“Hey, kiddo,” he said, as if meeting her for the first time. </p><p>Diana didn’t cry. She didn’t cry, or scream, or even wince. She just kept looking up at him with those soft, sweet eyes while her tiny hands continued to fuss with Juno’s eyepatch. </p><p>Juno let out a sigh of relief, face breaking into a shaky smile when he felt those tiny fingers running around the strap of the eyepatch in wonder. He could have looked at that tiny, awed face for hours, her eyes wide with delight and curiosity. </p><p>He had always thought babies were overall, pretty ugly, but he supposed having a kid of his own made it a little different. He was also pretty sure that even his past self would have to admit that she was pretty cute. Her little halo of curls was composed of looser ringlets than her mother’s, so she spent much of her time with her fingers in his hair, just accustoming herself to the new texture and occasionally, practicing that new grip strength of hers by threatening to tug it out by the roots. </p><p>Juno hadn’t realized he was staring off into space until she disappeared from his vision all together. </p><p>“Hey,” he laughed, hoping beyond hope she might just slide the eyepatch around again. He felt almost more naked with his good eye covered than he did without any eyepatch at all. “You should probably put that back.”</p><p>Juno felt his heart sink into his stomach when he tried to adjust his grip on Diana to see if he could free one hand to allow himself to see. It appeared she was much more precariously perched that she seemed, and as such, his hands were stuck. </p><p>“Nureyev,” he groaned. </p><p>“Nur-ey-ev,” Diana mumbled in response. Juno couldn’t help a laugh. He hadn’t realized just how much he called his husband by his last name until even their daughter made it her first word. </p><p>He’d expected Nureyev to be mad when she pieced together that word, but rather, he covered his mouth with his hand and looked mere inches from tears. Later, when Diana was long asleep, Peter confessed it might have been the happiest moment of his life. He could barely meet Juno’s eye as he spoke, his gaze far-off and his face wearing a look so soft and sweet and hopeful it just about broke Juno’s heart. </p><p>“I’m coming, darling,” the man of the hour yawned. Juno heard a distant tapping, as if Nureyev had yet to accustom himself to the sudden light and was still trailing a hand along the wall. </p><p>“Your glasses are on my head,” Juno explained. </p><p>“What?”</p><p>Juno snorted. “Believe it or not, your child’s turning into a bit of a kleptomaniac.”</p><p>“Oh, so when she’s breaking the law, she’s my child?” Nureyev chuckled, though his joke suffered under another yawn. </p><p>“I’m pretty sure she was my child when she committed aggravated assault against my eye socket,” Juno laughed. He frowned at the sound of an odd clicking a few inches from his face. “Is she chewing my sweatshirt strings again?”</p><p>Nureyev made a sound like he was shrugging. </p><p>“I can’t see without my glasses, Juno. Shouldn’t you be able to see about a foot in front of your face?” he returned. The sound his hand was making changed, as if he had found a chair to trail it atop, rather than the wall. </p><p>“She started playing with my eyepatch and put it over the wrong eye. I can’t see anything.”</p><p>“Are you the blur on the left side of the couch or the right?”</p><p>“Your left or mine?” Juno asked. </p><p>“Mine.”</p><p>He was too tired to try and listen for what direction Nureyev was coming from, but he certainly wasn’t too tired to screw with him. </p><p>“No idea.”</p><p>Nureyev groaned, and Juno couldn’t help a laugh. Apparently, it was contagious enough that Diana caught on and began giggling. From the sound of it, she was definitely chewing on the strings of his sweatshirt. </p><p>“My own wife, my own child, the fruit of my loins,” Nureyev said, faux-betrayal oozing from his voice. </p><p>“No offense, honey,” Juno started, pausing as something that sounded suspiciously like Nureyev’s shin collided with the coffee table. “But you don’t really have those.”</p><p>He could almost hear Nureyev’s eye roll. </p><p>“That’s not—you know, I’ll lecture you about anatomy in the morning,” he sighed, finally stumbling onto the couch and landing at Juno’s side. Juno felt the eyepatch slide back over his bad eye once more, and blinking, found himself meeting his husband’s eye. </p><p>“Hey,” Juno grinned. Nureyev kissed his forehead. </p><p>“Thank you for rescuing my glasses, love,” he chuckled, returning them to the bridge of his nose. His face broke into that smile Juno had fallen in love with years ago upon the sight of his wife and daughter, now clear. “Hello, little lady.”</p><p>Diana giggled, removing a hand from Juno’s sweatshirt to wrap around her father’s finger. Now with his eyepatch in the right place, Juno could get a proper look at that glowing smile and felt a wave of warmth in his chest so violent and sudden it left him near-fearful. </p><p>He supposed love and fear walked hand in hand at times.</p><p>“Nur-ey-ev,” she sounded out again. Her father grinned. </p><p>“Dad,” Juno did his best to correct. Diana merely repeated herself, time and time again, seeming to tire herself out on the word as that sleepy head collided with Juno’s shoulder. The look on Nureyev’s face made his heart just about melt. “We’ll work on it.”</p><p>“I don’t see any need to,” Nureyev beamed. </p><p>“Why don’t we get off this couch and get back to bed?” Juno whispered, finally freeing a hand to point at the kid. </p><p>Nureyev answered him with a kiss, soft and sweet and cruelly short. </p><p>“And to think you were so scared you wouldn’t do well as a parent,” he sighed, words hushed. </p><p>Nureyev stood, offering Juno a hand to assist him in doing the same. Juno took the offer, and with one love of his life asleep on his breast and the other squeezing his hand, he walked back to bed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Enjoy melting!! I certainly did. Fun fact: the story about punching a parent in the nose was based off of real life. I may or may not have been a very petulant baby. You'll have to ask my mom, who had to do lawyering with a black eye for a week. Because. And may I reiterate. I was the worst. </p><p>Thank you all so much for reading!! Make to smash that kudos button!! And it would really mean a lot if you left a comment down below!! Don't forget to stay hydrated &lt;3</p><p>Yell at me on tumblr @hopeless-eccentric</p></blockquote></div></div>
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